Author Archive for: MrAddicted2Dirt

The 2022 season is shaping up to be an exciting one for Austin Berry Racing.

During a recent video interview with Addicted2DirtPR.com, Austin Berry announced that The Tire Mart of Harrisburg, PA has come on board as the team’s primary partner for the upcoming season.  

In the informative interview, Berry also hinted at a new look for the car as well.  You can find a link to the full interview at the bottom of this release.  While the new look won’t be unveiled until March 6th at Port Royal Speedway’s opening day, you can see a sneak peak here!  

SNEAK PREVIEW of the 2022 ABR No.86!

For those who have been paying attention, you likely noticed the trend of improvement shown by Austin and his ABR team the past couple seasons.  If you didn’t have an eye on them before, you probably have since they captured their first super late model victory at Port Royal Speedway in June of 2021.

Last season not only brought victory, it brought much improved consistency and competitiveness for the little team from Mifflin, PA that competes against top notch teams on a weekly basis.    

The Tire Mart, a full-service automotive repair facility located at 4914 Jonestown Road, pitched in to help Berry run the 3-day Lucas Oil Dirt Series Late Model event at Port Royal last August.  On the opening night of that event, Berry timed 2nd quick in his flight, trailing only “Superman” Jonathan Davenport, and ultimately raced his way into his first career Lucas Oil event through his heat race.

“The Tire Mart is a local, family business that has been built on family values for over 50 years.  We quickly realized the Berry family reflects those same values from both a personal and work perspective, so we are really excited to expand our partnership with Austin, Ken and everyone at ABR.  We see a great opportunity not only to promote our business, but to be a part of the successful program they are building.  We hope we can help them achieve their goals, and we are confident the team will represent us very well“, shared Greg Sharrar, owner of The Tire Mart.

Several key partners who have been with ABR in recent years are returning as well.  Locust Hill Custom Butcher Shop, Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter, JDS Racing, Nathan Berry Beef Farm, A&C Racing Engines and Swift Springs all return to continue their successful partnerships.

Austin Berry’s successful 2021 campaign ended slightly prematurely when the team broke a rear end and was unable to get it repaired in time to make the final super late model race of the season at Port Royal Speedway.  The abrupt end left Berry with a bit of a void and wanting more.  Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise.  Berry was still hungry.  Maybe that’s a good way to enter the offseason.

“As soon as we knew we were done for the year back in September, we went into winter mode.  We started tearing the car down and making a list of everything we needed to get our parts ordered.  Given how long it has taken lately to get parts, we didn’t want to run into the issue of not having what we needed to prepare for 2022“, Berry explained.

Thus far they are on track to accomplish their off-season mission.  ABR has compiled at least two of everything, with the exception of a frame.  There are extra hubs, brakes, calipers, transmission, rear ends, engines and body panels.

“In the past, certain issues would put us on the sideline, sometimes for weeks.  This year, we want to be prepared, so when something happens, it won’t keep us out“, Berry shared.

Preparation has many forms though.  Parts are just one of them.  Austin and the team also put emphasis on improving their information and knowledge during the 2021 season and off-season.  During 2021 they implemented an improved record-keeping method to help the team log race night notes to be used as a reference point for future setup based on track conditions and several other criteria.

The team’s improved consistency has allowed them to begin focusing on finer details and other continuous improvements.  As a part of those efforts, the team leveraged their annual trek to the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show in Indianapolis in early December to keep in touch with the latest technology and information from the sports top vendors.  The show is also an opportunity for teams to maintain existing relationships with partners and suppliers, as well as potentially establish new ones.

The team’s December trip was a productive one, as was their strategy to start their 2022 car prep in September.  They are on the verge of being ready to head to the track for Port Royal’s season opener, which as of the publishing of this story is scheduled occur in 10 days, weather permitting.

“Thanks again to everyone who supports us.  I really want to thank my wife, my kids, my parents, my brother, everyone who comes to the shop or track and helps out, and of course all of our partners.  We couldn’t do this without them.  I’m really looking forward to the coming season,” Berry commented.

Everyone is encouraged to come out to Port Royal Speedway’s season opener on Sunday afternoon, March 6th, to get a look at the new look The Tire Mart / Locust Hill Custom Butcher Shop / Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter / JDS Racing / Nathan Berry Beef Farm / A&C Racing Engines / Swift Springs / Addicted2DirtPR.com / Penske Racing Shocks / VP Racing Fuels / Rocket Chassis XR1 No.86!

The team plans to compete regularly at Port Royal Speedway but also plans to include races at Hagerstown Speedway, Bedford Speedway, Path Valley Speedway Park, Selinsgrove Speedway and possibly others on their schedule.

Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, PA recently announced their 2021 season award recipients.  Among them was Austin Berry who won the Super Late Model Division’s Most Improved Driver Award.  Not only was Berry appreciative of and humbled by the award, to him it validated the team’s determined efforts over the past few seasons.  It’s hard to argue with that, especially when you consider it was the second time in three years the 26 year old wheelman had been recognized with the same award. 

“It’s very rewarding to receive this award, especially a second time, because it’s not something they are basing off of statistics.  This is awarded by speedway staff, voting based on what they observed throughout the season“, Berry commented when asked about the award during an interview at the Performance Racing Industry trade show in Indianapolis, IN last week.

2021 Recap

Berry, aboard the Locust Hill Custom Butcher Shop / Berry’s Siding & Seamless Gutter / Addicted2DirtPR.com / Nathan Berry Beef Farm, A&C Racing Engines / JDS Racing / Swift Springs / Penske Racing Shocks / Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic / VP Racing Fuels / Rocket Chassis XR1 No.86 logged a season that continued the team’s recent trend.  Their performance demonstrated the improved consistency that has resulted from efforts to steadily build the program the right way.

Austin Berry competed in 14 events at ‘The Speed Palace’, where he captured his first career super late model victory in June and qualified for his first ever Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series main event in August.  

The June triumph at Port Royal was a thrilling, drama-filled feature event that saw Berry survive multiple restarts and fend off attacks from Trever Feathers and Colton Flinner to capture the emotional victory.  On that night, nearly everyone in the stands was a fan of the blue and yellow #86.  It was a long time coming and it seemed to be appreciated by those who were lucky enough to witness it.

Speaking about his Lucas Oil Series achievement, Berry said, “The Lucas show for me was very humbling, because ever since we started racing super late models, time-trials have not been my strong suit.  To time 2nd only to Jonathan (Davenport) was very special to me.“

The team also made the decision to travel just a little bit more regionally, believing the only way to get better was to challenge themselves by racing a variety of speedways.  The team made stops at five other regional tracks:  Selinsgrove Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway, Hagerstown Speedway, Path Valley Speedway and Bedford Speedway.  As the season progressed and the team showed more consistency and competitiveness, the approach seemed to be proving itself.